Beauty of Re
by stAnd out - SHOUT OUT
Summary: Larry runs into someone that knows Ahkmenrah while at the Smithsonian. His wife. Neferu-Re strives to protect her husband's tablet from Kahmunrah, and protect herself from the heartache of eternal loneliness inside her sarcophagus. Ahk/OC Ahkmenrah/OC
1. Imprisonment

**Imprisonment**

Walking through the Smithsonian wasn't exactly how Larry had been expecting to be spending his day, but after the freaky phone call from Jed talking about the monkey stealing the tablet and some evil older brother of Ahkmenrah, he didn't have much other choice. And now, as he walked through the cathedral style building, his footsteps echoing in the nearly silent rooms, he couldn't stop himself from letting his attention be drawn toward the details of the security system _and _the exhibits. But there was one in particular that caught his eye.

A large golden slab that looked like it had been chipped at and carved out of a larger stone drew him forward, as well as the large amount of hieroglyphics on it. The slap of gold was over eight feet high and two feet wide with the ancient writing carved throughout the entire surface. The slab was stood against a wall at the head of a large sarcophagus, much like Ahkmenrah's back home. But this one, even he knew, was for a woman. The person on the front was of a woman and the painted and carved designs were more feminine.

Looking over to the sign that accompanied each exhibit, he read the gold painted writing on the black piece of stone aloud to himself, quietly. "_Tomb of Neferu-Re_ _Wife to the forth king of the fourth king."_

Larry pulled back as he thought over how familiar it sounded to hear of her husband, but decided he would have to think more on that at another time. Turning to the rest of the Egyptian display, he spotted another sign that introduced a different artefact. And this specific one wasn't hard to miss in the least, considering it was a large stone gateway.

"'_The Gate of Kahmunrah'_", Larry read quietly, letting out a sigh, "Kahmunrah, that's who Jed mentioned." Stepping up to inspect the large structure, Larry noticed the rectangular slot in the middle. Stepping closer to get a better look, he could see what looked like a diagram on the back of how to place something, with gold pieces stuck in the corners. Leaning further to try and inspect the images, his arm bumped the metal pole that kept people back from the exhibits, hearing someone yell over to him.

"Hey!" Looking back, a younger looking man in a security uniform was making his way toward him, an annoyed look on his face. Larry couldn't help but dread the oncoming waste of time. "What are you doing? No touching."

"No, no, no I wasn't going to touch it," Larry quickly retorted, motioning back to the stone gate while he continued to look to the young guard.

"There was some ITT bro," The guy said, stepped up closer to Larry, who gave him a strange look at his wording. _ITT?_ Letting out a sigh, he gave up on trying to get out of this one easily, this kid must really want to keep his job or absolutely hate him.

Hard, unused lungs took in a large breath of stale air, eyes flying open to look up into darkness. A once dead heart began to beat again, growing strong and steady before picking up in pace as the person that the heart resided in began to panic. Elegant, feminine hands wrapped in cloth reached up to touch the curves of the casing above her, letting her know just how enclosed she was. Pushing hard on the surface as her breathing began to pick up as well, she felt a tremendous rush of relief when it moved. Pushing harder and to the side, she was able to slide the lid of the coffin she was in to the side, allowing light to break through the darkness that had once surrounded her. Pushing the surface away from her until she was able to sit up fully, the young woman took a moment to sit, before she reached up and began to unwind the cloth wrapping around her head.

As more and more of her face and hair were revealed, the more and more she was able to breathe and see properly. But she was in a place that she had never seen the likes of before. The room was tremendously large, but there were strange signs and structures and murals all around. It was frightening, really, to have to look around and not recognise a thing-

"_Oh Re, please no,"_ the woman whispered to herself, the Egyptian words rolling off her tongue easily. Carefully sliding out from her sarcophagus, the woman walked toward the large stone gateway numbly. "_Kahmunrah, it can't be."_

But it was. The stone gate was one of the vile man's possessions, and wherever he went, than it went as well. Did that mean that Ahkmenrah was there as well? Looking around at the large room again, she couldn't see any sign of Ahkmenrah's legacy anywhere. Stopping in mid sweep of the room, her clothed hand flew to her mouth as her light brown eyes widened. The tablet. That was the only reason to explain why she was alive, his tablet had to be nearby. Turning back to face her coffin, she felt relieved at the sight of her two faithful Jackal's standing post on either side by her head.

Striding to her sarcophagus, she began to unwind the skilfully wrapped bandages from her arms and throat, feeling the cool air touched her skin as it was exposed. The cloth began to unwind form her chest and stomach in its own, revealing her gold and white clothing beneath. Her broad gold and ruby collared necklace covered the top of her dress, the silky white material flowing down to the floor. Transparent white sleeves were loose on her arms, to her elbows that billowed as she moved, catching the slightest rush of air. Golden bands on her wrists had more red jewels melded into it, spiralling around in a beautiful design.

Collecting the cotton wrappings from the floor, the young woman tossed them inside the coffin, retrieving her headdress crown from the head of her resting place. It wasn't overly large, which she had always been relieved for. Sliding the headdress over her hair, she felt pleased at the familiar feel of it. She and her husband had agreed not to have one that covered her hair, since he was quite fond of it, and so it was more of a circlet that wrapped around her head with golden braids falling down to weave into her hair. Sliding her feet into her sandals at last, she wound the dyed leather straps up her legs to keep them in place.

Neferu-Re quickly rushed from the room that held her tomb, her long white and gold skirts billowing up around her legs as she ran to try and find the tablet and hopefully stop Kahmunrah from opening the gate to the Underworld. Rushing down the hallways of the strange building, Neferu-Re had to stop herself from panicking from almost everything she saw. It was so strange and she didn't like it one bit.

Turning a sharp corner to head into a room of what looked like sculptures, Neferu-Re screamed rather loudly when she was suddenly grabbed very violently from behind. Turning around in a rush to face who had taken a rough hold on her arm, she found herself looked down at a small man with a very large hat. Tilting her head to the side as she examined his face, she couldn't bring herself to understand who he was.

"_Who are you? Unhand my person!"_ She ordered loudly, wrenching her arm from his grasp and turning to leave.

"Stop her!" The little man called out in a thick and unfamiliar accent. Neferu-Re screamed and struggled when uniformed men took hold of her arms and held onto her tightly, keeping her in place. "Take her back to Kahmunrah, now."

"_Kahmunrah? You know Kahmunrah?" _She asked, looking over to the small man, but he had already turned away and was leading the men that held her, onward. She continued to fight and struggle, but the men were stronger than she was and she was only tiring herself._ "Ahkmanrah! Help me!"_

"_Oh, baby brother can't help you now."_ Neferu-Re gasped and tried to step back, but the soldiers kept a strong hold on her arms and prevented her from doing so. Kahmunrah smiled wickedly at her reason, slowly walking in her direction. "Very good, my friend, for bringing her to me. It would not do well to let her get away, now would it?"

Neferu-Re eventually gave up on fighting against the men and stayed still, watching Kahmunrah carefully for anything that he might do. He spoke briefly with the smaller man in English, the language that she truly disliked learning but could still speak fairly well. "_Where is Ahkmenrah?"_

"_Ahkmenrah? I hear that he is around, but not here. It was very fortunate of me, however, that his tablet was mistakenly brought here." _Neferu-Re looked around the room briefly, but she still couldn't see the tablet. When she looked back to Kahmunrah, she knew that he wasn't happy. "_Of course, I have to get it back from a pesky friend of my brothers first. _Now! Bring her to the gate and tie her up, we still need to find this _Larry Daley_ and get back my tablet!"

Nefer-Re was soon being pulled along again against her will, but this time she walked along without protest and without restraint. She took the time to examine where she was further, her eyes roaming over everything that passed her by. It was so frighteningly amazing, all at the same time. But the area around her soon started to look familiar and she found herself back inside the room that she had just run from that held her tomb, as well as Kahmunrah's.

"Hm, now what to do with you?" Kahmunrah muttered quietly to himself as he looked back at Neferu-Re, tapping his fingers against his chin. "Ah, I know..." He mumbled finally, stepping up to her. "Lock her in her sarcophagus."

"_No!"_ Neferu-Re screamed and struggled as she tried to fight against the men that began to pull her toward the small space of her sarcophagus. It may as well have been a prison to her now, though had once been a sacred way of burial for the Pharaohs and Queens. She was shocked when she felt her eyes prick with tears, a feeling that she had expected to remain barren in her dead body. Her Jackal's moved forward to try and save her, but other soldiers that were on Kahmunrah's side pulled the gates closed on them while they were further back in her exhibit, locking them away. Neferu-Re could already feel the constricting and paralyzing feeling of fear and panic gripping her. She was thrown down into her coffin once more, held down by the soldiers for a mere few seconds before she was released and her whole world went back. She could hear the sounds of them locking her in, the small space seeming to suck the life right out of her.

She continued to scream and beat on the top of her sarcophagus with her hands, knees and feet, trying to get Kahmunrah to release her. She cursed him out with every vile world that she could think of in their mother tongue, wanting nothing more than to slap the man that had locked her away once more. She could hear him laughing from outside her prison, causing her blood to boil as she momentarily forgot about the panic and claustrophobia that she had.

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><p><strong>This chapter is just kind of the introduction to the story, the other chapters will be much longer than this one! I hope that you all like it, sadly Ahk won't be in here for a couple more chapters, but he won't be left out! Please review, it would be most appreciated!<strong>


	2. Riddle Me This

**Riddle Me This**

Neferu-Re laid still, quiet, as she listened to Kahmunrah as he spoke about the combination to the gate to the Underworld. Of course his parents had changed the combination, he had tried to destroy mankind, why wouldn't they? Coiled up like a cobra ready to bring, she didn't give up a chance if someone unlocked her cage and she had the chance to escape. She couldn't understand much of their conversation after Kahmunrah stopped yelling and was left to sit in wait.

She made sure to keep herself calm as she tapped her long fingers on the top of the sarcophagus, her ears keen for the sound of the locks. More yelling arose outside of her sarcophagus, causing her to perk up again. Kahmunrah's voice was soon just outside of her coffin, letting her prepare herself for if he opened it. The locked were released and pushed aside, revealing Kahmunrah's menacing smile. Neferu-Re thanked the gods for her chance and swung up to slap him across the face as hard as she could, ending with her hand stinging and the man falling to the floor. The soldiers from before grabbed her again and pulled her from the sarcophagus as the former ex-Pharaoh picked himself up.

"Well, that was unpleasant."

Neferu-Re couldn't help but to be pleased with herself for smacking the man of her deep routed hatred. She watched Kahmunrah carefully as he recovered from her hit and made his way toward her, taking her arm roughly in his own so that the soldiers released her and pulling her harshly toward a group of more soldiers that were surrounding a strangely dressed man that was holding a very familiar golden tablet.

"_Ahkmenrah's tablet!" _She gasped quietly, stumbling forward when Kahmunrah pulled her harshly toward the group.

"Mr. Daley, I would like for you to meet baby brother's wife, Neferu-Re. She can assist you with deciphering the tablet. Tick tock, Mr. Daley, your hour has begun."

"Hey!" Neferu-Re looked down in shock at the hourglass that Kahmunrah was holding in his other hand, seeing the small man standing inside. "You got this partner, I know you do." Neferu-Re leaned down to get a closer look at the small man, a confused look touching her features. She gasped in shock when Kahmunrah shoved her toward the 'Mr. Daley' rather harshly. He caught her gently, careful of the tablet in his arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked carefully as she stood straight once more.

"Yes," She answered carefully, her voice thick with her Egyptian accent. He quickly led her away from the room and away from Kahmunrah and his goons. "Who are you?" She asked carefully, hoping that her English was good enough.

"My name's Larry Daley, I met Ahkmenrah a couple of years ago because of this tablet," Larry explained, his words coming out a bit too fast for Neferu-Re to fully understand.

"You know Ahkmenrah? Personally?" She asked quietly, slowing in her stride. Larry seemed to understand her ordeal and stopped walking as well, looking to the young woman with sympathy.

"You're really Ahk's wife?" Larry asked carefully, watching as the sadness shown pure on her face. She nodded her head silently, looking away from Larry. "I need to find out the new combination on the tablet to save Jed—the little man in the hourglass—and I could really use your help." Neferu-Re took a deep breath and looked back up to Larry once more, nodding her head. She held her hands out for the tablet, pleased with the cool feel of the metal when he handed it to her.

"You will find the combination you seek if you figure out the secret at the heart of Pharaoh's tomb," She read aloud, translating into English as she did so. Larry nodded his head in understanding, trying to think about what it could mean. Neferu-Re held the tablet close to her chest quietly, remembering back to when Ahkmenrah had first received the tablet from his parents.

"Do you know what that could mean?"

"I am not good with riddles," she answered quietly. "Please, may I carry this?" She asked in a small voice, looking up into Larry's eyes. He seemed hesitant for a moment before he nodded his head and offered a small smile.

"There you are!" Neferu-Re looked up toward where the voice had come from, seeing a red hair woman rushing up toward them. "Are you alright? I've been worried sick, sick I tell you!" Neferu-Re could already tell that she was going to have a terrible headache if she was going to be accompanying this woman, since she spoke so fast.

"No, it's alright, I'm fine," Larry answered as he began to walk again.

"Oh, hello there, and who might you be?" The redhead asked as she turned to Neferu. Luckily, the Egyptian was able to understand her words and offered a smile.

"I am Neferu-Re, wife to the Forth King of the Fourth King, Queen of the land of Egypt." The redhead just stared at her for a moment with large eyes before she broke into a smile once again.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Neferu-Re, I'm Amelia Earhart." After addressing Neferu-Re, she turned back to Larry and an expectant look on her face, "What's the next move partner?"

"I have to find out what the answer to the riddle on this tablet is," Larry stated as he began to walk again, the two women rushing to follow.

"Well, that's the riddle?" Amelia asked, moving up to walk beside him.

"You will find the combination you seek if you figure out the secret at the heart of Pharaoh's tomb," Neferu-Re answered for him, hoping that the woman could understand her through her thick accent. But the other woman nodded, so she clearly had understood her and continued to walk as she thought over the words. Turning a corner to walk into a different room, Neferu-Re yelped in shock at the large sea creature that blocked their way.

"_Dear Re, help me,"_ She prayed quietly to herself, her light brown eyes wide with shock and fear.

"Oh, this guy again. Look, buddy, we don't want any trouble!" Larry yelled at the large creature, but stopped when he saw that the large octopus was looking at a picture beside him instead. Glancing to the side, all three of them saw that it was a painting of a stormy boat scene that he was drawing his attention.

"_Water,"_ Neferu-Re thought quietly to herself, watched as Larry quickly took the picture off of the wall and looked ready to throw it on the octopus, but instead, all of the water rushed out from the frame onto the dry sea creature. The octopus began to make pleased noises as his many legs began to rub the water over himself happily. Neferu-Re smiled happily as she and Amelia began around the creature.

"Well, look at that, I guess that sassy sucklopaw was just a fish who didn't like being out of water. He's not such a ballywagger after all." Neferu-Re looked over to the redhead in confused at her odd names and wording. It was so hard to follow that woman's speech pattern. They were forced to stop walking when Larry was suddenly wrapped up in a large tentacle and pulled against the octopus, which was still making pleased high pitched noises.

"Okay, glad you're happy," Larry muttered out, pushing himself away from the large sea creature. Neferu-Re laughed quietly at the slime that was stuck to him, placing an elegant hand over her mouth.

The group continued on to look through the museum to try and find someone that could work out the riddle on the tablet, which was still held tightly in Neferu-Re's arms. Amelia thought up going down to the sculpture gallery and looking for _'The Thinker', _which turned out to be a complete bust when all he did was say _I'm thinking_ before starting on the stature of a beautiful woman carved in marble. Amelia ended up saying that he was no Einstein, which gave Larry an idea.

"We've got to get over there, to Air and Space," Larry said as he made his way over to the window of the room. Neferu-Re stepped up to a large fountain in the centre of the room, glancing down into her reflection. She couldn't grip the fact that she looked just as she had when she had been alive, truly alive and standing at her husband's side, ruling one of the greatest lands on the world during their era.

The sound of someone being slapped drew her attention over to Larry and Amelia, seeing them standing dangerously close to one another. Deciding not to comment on it, she kept her distance and decided to act as though she didn't see them do anything. The sound of music caused her to look upward, seeing small stone statues flying in the air. A smile touched her lips as the soft harp sound filled the air, as well as a calm and sad sounding English song.

"Okay, great, love theme from Titanic, great but not really appropriate." Neferu-Re laughed quietly to herself as she placed a hand over her mouth once more, before she quickly moved to followed after the other two when they made their way toward the doors.

"You don't let yourself enjoy things much, do you Mr. Daley?"

Neferu-Re was left to listen to Larry and Amelia bicker cutely as they stepped from the building, flashing a soft smile to the small singing statues as she passed them. Holding Ahkmenrah's tablet in one arm, she bunched up her skirts in her other hand as she followed after the two quickly. The cold air of the night was a shocking on her bare skin, but she couldn't help but be pleased with the feeling on her skin, making her feel so alive.

She hummed quietly to herself at the pleasant feeling of being alive, trying to put the dull ache of loss behind her. But it was hard, and she didn't really want to forget. She would always remembered Ahkmenrah, and she could never even think about letting those memories slip away, but she didn't want to feel the ache of never being able to see him again.

"Neferu-Re, run!" Neferu-Re looked back to see what the problem was, catching sight of some of the soldiers from earlier chasing after them. Gripping the tablet tighter, she raced after Larry and Amelia, releasing her skirts so she could get a better hold of the gold piece. Her skirts lifted from the strong breeze, her bare legs catching the chill.

Amelia pulled her around the side of a large lit sign, hiding all three of them from the view of the soldiers. Neferu-Re clutched onto Ahkmenrah's tablet tighter, sending a whispered prayer to Bes to keep her safe.

"I almost feel left out, you're making up the strangest words and she's muttering in a different language," Larry muttered to Amelia when he thought Neferu-Re wasn't listening, before he and Amelia each began to push Neferu-Re toward a different building since their path was blocked by the soldiers.

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><p><strong>Glad to get some reviews so quickly for the story. As I promised I made sure to have this chapter a bit longer than the other one!<strong>


	3. The Fourth Queen

**The Fourth Queen**

Neferu-Re refused to hand the tablet to Larry, even when her arms began to get tired from carrying it around. She wasn't going to complain when Larry and Amelia led the way up to a large set of steps into a small enclosure with a large stature of a man that she didn't know sitting in a chair. Moving to sit down on the bottom of one of the columns carefully, Neferu-Re looked down at the golden tablet of Ahkmenrah and let a small smile touch her lips.

"_You smile every time you look at that tablet," Neferu-Re said quietly as she sat down beside Ahkmenrah on the cool stone bench in the garden, lifted her skirts before doing so. Ahkmenrah held the tablet in his hands, smiling down at it. "You're proud."_

"_I am glad," Ahkmenrah corrected, looking up to the dark haired woman at his side. Neferu-Re smiled calmly, nodded her head in understanding. "This is a privilege that I am indeed proud of, but I am also so glad that it was not..."_

"_Kahmunrah that received such a privilege?" Neferu-Re finished for him. Ahkmenrah nodded his head, the gold of his crown catching the bright Egyptian sun. _

"_Now, we must meet with the other lords, shall we?" Ahkmenrah stood then, offering her his arm. Neferu-Re took a moment to look up at the dark skinned male before her before she stood as well, sliding her arm through his, the familiarity making her hum pleasantly._

Neferu-Re sighed quietly, resting her head back against the cool stone of the column. The cool air felt pleasant on her bare arms after she had run around and worked herself harder than she had in…however many years she had been dead. The thought of her own death brought an ache to her heart, but at least it was a death that was shared with the one that she loved. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes, before she died, was of Ahkmenrah lying beside her, smiling.

"Blast these pigeons and their incessant pooing!" Neferu-Re looked up at the new voice, gasping at the sight of the statue coming to life. He flung his arms around to dispel the birds that had landed upon him, flicking that was on his shoulder. All that was left behind of the bird was a large puff of feathers. "Well, now then," He said as he stood up.

Larry rushed forward to try and stop him as he stepped down from his raised platform, his weight shaking the ground. Neferu-Re pulled herself to her feet, holding onto the column behind her when each step from the man shook the ground beneath her feet. She clutched Ahkmenrah's tablet like a lifeline, watching with wide eyes as the man suddenly looked down at her.

"Well, you're a beautiful young woman, aren't you? Why do you look so sad, my dear?"

Neferu-Re opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She had been surrounded by large living structures before, but they were all under her control, or Ahkmenrah's. She had never encountered something like this before. She gasped and went to step back when he suddenly reached out to her, pulling her up into the air when his hand wrapped around her waist. He stood up straight again, bringing her to sit upon his palm before his face.

"Such a beautiful thing should not look so sad," He began again, tilting his head to side.

"I…have been separated from my husband."

"Ah, I see. The loss of a loved one." She was relieved far more than she had expected when he lowered her back to the ground gently, setting her on her feet once more. "Now, what is with all your insistent yelling, little one?" The man turned to Larry, reaching for him this time and picking him up back the back of his coat.

"Come now Mr. President, let's put the little man down and sit that fanny back in that thrown of yours," Amelia said as she looked up at Honest Abe and Larry. Neferu-Re was still trying to collect her bearings from suddenly being lifted off the ground. She had never had a large liking for heights. The distant sound of yelling caused Neferu-Re to lean past one the large pillars, seeing a group of Kahmunrah's soldiers running along the path that led past where they presently were.

"They're coming!" She called over to Larry in a loud whisper, moving to hide behind the pillar that she was standing beside.

"Abraham, freeze!" The large statue of the President froze with his hands and one leg in the air, the strange position would have caused the three to laugh had it been any other day. They heard the yelling of the soldiers as they ran past the pillared area, all three holding their breath. Once they were sure that the coast was clear, Amelia smiled to the president.

"Thank you."

"Come on, we've got to get to Air and Space," Larry interrupted, moving to leave.

"If I may, you two make an adorable couple," Abe said quickly, making Neferu-Re look between the two others that were with her. She had to admit, the way that they acted was adorable at times. Larry began to protest quickly, looking over to Amelia before he looked back up to Abe. Neferu-Re couldn't help but to smile at the childish reaction to Abe's words.

"We're not a-I mean-we're not a-blah, blah, blah-I never lie! The truth is that you two are adorable together," Abe said, smiling as he leaned back into his thrown.

"Thank you, thanks," Larry muttered, waving up to Abe as he turned to leave. Clearly, he wished to be anywhere but there. Neferu-Re shook her head in amusement, bowing slightly at the waist to the man before she followed after the other two. Picking up to a run again, they took off toward the building across the courtyard that had the large silver letters stating 'Air and Space'. Neferu-Re weaved through the metal pillars, holding up her skirts as she did so, so they didn't get caught.

"_My Lord of Re,"_ She whispered to herself as she looked around the large room that they entered into, the bright colours and large objects shocking her. She wasn't sure what most of the things inside the room were, but it looked amazing none-the-less. "What are we looking for?" She asked, looking over to Larry.

"There should be little doll sized men, silver hair with bobbing heads. They're called Einstein's," Larry explained as he continued into the room. Neferu-Re nodded her head before stepping away from him, beginning to explore the room as she kept her eyes focused for small bobbing headed men. Walking over to one of the large crafts that were littered around the room, Neferu-Re ducked down as a small flying craft flew at her, narrowly missing her head. When a second made it way toward her, she lifted the tablet before her face for protection, letting the small machine smash into the golden plate instead.

She could hear Larry's voice echoing through the room as he called all of the flying crafts to a halt, making Neferu-Re looked over toward him. She felt bad for the small plane smashing into Ahk's tablet, the small thing now broken to bits from the impact against the solid surface. Looking at the tablet, she shook the little bits out of the cracks engraved in the surface and spaces for the turn pieces. She was really beginning to dislike this era.

"Mr. Daley, I found your Einstein's!"

One of the things that she found to be the least appealing to her at the present time was going near Kahmunrah again, and giving him the tablet as well. Another thing was lying on her stomach on a plane, holding onto said tablet for dear life, and waiting for the moment that she was going to die. Again. A scream tore from her lungs as she closed her eyes when she saw them heading straight for the ground. A sudden jerk and the plane was straightened, flying out the doors and into the night air. The cold air caused her to open her eyes again, looking up to the sight of the night sky.

A lonely feeling gripped her sole as she thought about the many nights that she and Ahkmenrah had snuck out of their rooms to sit on the palace walls, looking up at the room as the deserts freezing night air bit at their skin.

_Neferu-Re shuffled around where she was sitting to try and get comfortable on the stone structure, pulling the robe that Ahkmenrah had given her more tightly around herself. The moon was full that night, allowing her to see everything as though it was day once more. Ahkmenrah pulled himself up onto the wall beside her, looking up at the sky just as she was._

"_Khonsu," Neferu-Re whispered, a smile touching her lips as she looked up into the glowing sphere that lit the once dark planet. "Beautiful."_

"_Khonsu may be a beauty in the night sky, but I know a far greater sight that I may gaze upon at all times," Ahkmenrah replied. Neferu-Re looked over to her fiancé with a small smile on her lips, seeing that he was looking at her all along. His hand reached up to gently take her chin between in thumb and index finger, golden rings decorating each digit._

"_Ahkmenrah," Neferu-Re began, still smiling. His fingers were warm on her skin against the cold air of the night, welcoming._

"_Khu," Ahkmenrah whispered back, using his pet name for her. She felt her cheeks flushing in the moonlight. Ahkmenrah released her chin to trace her lips with his fingers, leaning toward her carefully. She didn't move away from him, only waited patiently, her smile broadening. Taking her smile as invitation, Ahkmenrah leaned forward the remainder of the way, seeing Neferu-Re's eyes close moments before his-_

"Neferu-Re!" Larry's yell pulled the Queen from her pondering, causing her to look up in time to see the glass window that was inside the room she had woken inside. Ducking her head, she felt the glass shattering against her arms, bits flying around her and hitting her skin. She was glad that she didn't get cut from the flying pieces.

She gasped when the felt the tablet fall from her hands as the plane slid across the floor of the room, soon joined by Larry as he rolled across the floor. She looked forward again and felt her stomach clench at the sight of more oncoming displays, ducking her head to try and protect herself. She could hear when Amelia let out a small scream from the showering of glass that fell down on them. Shaking the glass from her hair, she looked over to where Amelia was, pulling her finger up to her lips to signal to be silent. Nodding her head, Neferu-Re pulled herself up onto her feet, looking around the curtain that had fallen over the plane toward her sarcophagus. She needed to get her jackals out.

Moving over to where Amelia was leaning around the curtain, Neferu-Re gently tapped her shoulder. "I need to go and get my Jackals," She explained, motioning over to the gate yards away from their place.

"I know where we can get some backup to help Mr. Daley, we might need your Jackal's help," She replied. We nodded to one another, creeping around behind the curtain to rush over to the gates that had locked Neferu-Re's guards away from her.

"_Come,_" Neferu-Re called to the jackals, the two large soldiers marching over to her, "_Pull these gates apart to open them,_" She instructed, stepping back. The Jackals did as told and began to pry the gates apart, separating the metal. As soon as they were opened enough for the eight foot statues to step through, Neferu-Re instructed them to follow as she and Amelia took off.

Rushing through the halls of the museum toward the storage area, Neferu-Re had to continually shout for her Jackals not to attack the things that she ran into, wanting nothing more than to protect her. Stepping through the gates that led into the main storage, Amelia told them to slow down and be quiet as she stepped toward the last set of shelves. Peering around the shelving, Neferu-Re noticed that there was a large metal crate looking thing that was being guarded by two black and white men.

"We need those big guardians of yours to knock out the smaller guards, open the crate and explain to the people inside that Mr. Daley needs help, I'm going to get some friends," Amelia explained, flashing a smile before she darted off. Neferu-Re shook her head at the fast speaking female before she looked back toward the crate.

"_Remove the guards,_" Neferu-Re ordered the Jackals, pointing over to the two goons. The large black statues moved around her, their spears raised as they marched over toward the two men. The black and white characters sat frozen in place as they look at the menacing animal/human statues that were marching toward them. By the time they raised their weapons to attack, the Jackals had wrapped their arms around the throats of the two men and pulled them off their feet, allowing Neferu-Re to rush over to the crate. "_Render them unconscious,"_ She ordered finally, looking away as the Jackals cracked the two men's skulls together.

Moving to the crate, she inspected the looking system for a moment, lifting the metal bar that seemed to be holding the two doors closed. Opening two more bars, she stepped back and motioned for her Jackals to open the doors. As soon as they were open she was greeted with the sight of various people, all dressed differently, male and female.

"Who are you?" One of the men asked, his eyes darting around slightly panicked.

"I am Neferu-Re, Forth Queen of Egypt, wife of the forth king of the forth king," Neferu-Re answered, nodding her head to them. "Larry Daley is in need of your assistance. Kahmunrah has him now, and my husband's tablet."

* * *

><p><strong>Translation:<strong>

_Khu - _Egyptian named meaning 'Protected'

_Khonsu - _Egyptian God of the Moon


	4. Dearly Departed

**Dearly Departed**

The group from the crate all rushed through the halls of the Museum, Neferu-Re sitting on the shoulder of one of her Jackals so that she was able to keep up with them. She ordered them to put her down when they were a couple of hallways away from the room, looking over the various people that were Larry's friends. Only one was a woman, the others were dressed in strange armour and furs, the one in a uniform standing out in contrast.

"Neferu-Re!" Amelia's voice called through the hall, causing the Queen to look over her shoulder. The men from the Air and Space building were marching at her side, as well as the three flying cupids and the two statues from the main building; _The Thinker_ and the female statue that he had been marvelling.

"Miss Earhart," Neferu-Re greeted as well, before they both turned to walk back toward the room that Larry had been left to fend off Kahmunrah on his own. "I hope that you are ready." The two female exchanged small smiles as they marched forward to stand in the doorway of the large room. Kahmunrah looked absolutely furious about something, the tablet already placed in the door of the gate.

"We could start by watching him die," Kahmunrah growled out, glaring directly at Larry. Neferu-Re lifted her hand to her lips, blowing air past her fingers to create an ear-splitting whistle. Everyone turned to where their group was standing, surely a sight to see. A Queen, the first female to fly, a group of flyboys, the Huns, Sacagawea, five stone or metal statues, a war general, a large squid, two monkeys and two jackals.

"We are not going to attack right…._now_!"

Letting out a battle cry, every person charged forward to the group of soldiers that Kahmunrah had gathered throughout the night. Neferu-Re ordered her Jackals to attack but not kill, rushing into the fray to head for the Gate of Kahmunrah, stopping only when she needed to throw an elbow into the face of a soldier that grabbed at her.

"Stop her!" Kahmunrah cried out, pointing to Neferu-Re angrily. The Queen looked over to a group that rushed up to her, scowling and dangerous. She ducked out of the way in time for them to run into one of the other groups fighting to get to her. Whistling again, she hold her hands out to one of the Jackals, letting him lift her up onto his shoulders as the large creature grabbed and threw the men that reached for her.

Letting her Jackals move her to the sides of the fight, Neferu-Re kicked out at anyone that rushed toward her, planting her foot in the faces of many men that day. Once she was back on her own feet, her attention was drawn to where Larry was fighting with Kahmunrah, the tablet sliding from his hands in the process. Rushing forward, she struck the goon that was reaching for the golden plate in the side of the head with her knee, picking up the tablet and throwing it over to where Amelia was calling her name

She was tackled to the ground by one of the others as soon as the tablet left her fingers, the air rushing from her lungs from the initial impact. Hitting the floor gasping, Neferu-Re felt the weight on her back lift as one of her guardians picked up the black and white man, throwing him clear across the room. Placing a hand on her chest as she lifted herself up, she tried to right her breathing as she looked up toward where Larry was still fighting against her husband's brother.

"Kahmunrah!" She screamed in anger, knowing that it would cause enough of a distraction. The man looked over to her at the sound of her angered voice, before Larry knocked the weapon he had been holding clean from his grasp, skidding across the floor. Spinning Kahmunrah around so that his back was facing the gate and he was stuck in a headlock by Larry.

Amelia stepped away from the gate as soon as she had entered the combination, the body that was at the front of the gate moving outward before the door soon began to open. She could hear Kahmunrah and Larry share a few words before Larry pushed Kahmuran backward into the now open gateway. Bowing her head, Neferu-Re sent a silent prayer to Aken.

She felt herself being lifted into the air in celebration, causing her to laugh as she looked down to see it was one of the Huns. The people that Larry had said were Ahkmenrah's friends all celebrated around her, cheering loudly with their friends. She let the Hun place her back on her feet, sharing a quick hug with Sacagawea. The other woman smiled to the Queen in such a friendly manner that Neferu-Re found the affect contagious.

"The battle of the Smithsonian!"

Neferu-Re looked over to where the general stood on top of the pile of treasure that Kahmunrah had been gathering, a broad smile lighting his features. "Perhaps the greatest battle that the word will…never know." Neferu-Re laughed at his wording, getting the same reaction from others around her. He was right, they had fought hard and done so many things only within a couple of hours, and the rest of the world would never know that it had even transpired.

"We'll know," Larry added, smiling. Pulling back the sleeve of his coat, he felt the celebration drain from him as he looked at the time. "It's an hour until sunrise, I have to get you guys back."

Neferu-Re felt her smile fade away when she realised that she was going to have to return to her coffin, never to wake up or see her husband again. Turning away from the others, she felt her eyes prick with tears once more, still fighting to try and hold them back. Taking a breath to hold back her tears, she looked up toward the sky, thanking Re for her chance at life once more, and wishing she was able to see her husband one last time.

"Neferu-Re," Larry's voice reached her ears, causing her to look over to him as she blinked her tears away. "Amelia's going to fly these guys back to the Museum in New York. I know that you want to see Ahk again, so how about you come with us. It won't be forever, but you can see Ahk before Amelia has to leave to get back here."

Neferu-Re felt the tears surface faster than she could stop them and begin dripping down her cheeks even as she smiled. Throwing her arms around Larry's neck, she heard him laugh slightly as he fought to keep himself on his feet, hugging her back. The cool feel of the tablet on her arm brought her back to reality as she pulled back, smiling and sniffing as she wiped her tears away.

"Thank you, Mr. Daley, thank you so much," She whispered, taking his face in her hands as she continued to smile and cry. Kissing his forehead gently, she only pulled back when she heard Amelia say that they should leave before it gets too late. She soon found herself sitting in the back of Amelia's bright red plane, her stomach knotting in anticipation. She was going with the first group, staying throughout the many trips with Ahk, before she went back with Amelia when she leaves to return to the Smithsonian for good.

"Ahkmenrah never mentioned having a wife," Sacagawea said as she sat quietly, patiently. She, too, was returning to someone that she loved.

"I was actually not Ahkmenrah's wife for very long," Neferu-Re answered, "We were killed shortly after we married." Sacagawea gave her a sympathetic look, nodding her understanding.

"I'm sure that Larry will try something so that you are permanently a resident of the Museum of Natural History," The other woman assured, causing Neferu-Re to smile her thanks, nodding her head. She had not known Larry for long, but he was dedicated to the displays of the museum, even going so far as to consider them his family.

"We're here," Larry called from the front of the plane, where he had been talking with Amelia. "Are you ready, Dexter?" Larry asked, looking down at the monkey that held the tablet. The small animal chirped away, moving toward the doorway. He needed to move into the museum to let the exhibits come to life, so that Ahk and Teddy could see their women.

"Are you ready?" Sacagawea asked as she looked over to the once Queen of Egypt. Neferu-Re traded glances with the woman, nodding her head. She was ready, she was beyond ready. She needed to see the man that had stolen her heart more than anything. The moments that she had shared with Ahkmenrah were plenty, but the moments that they had shared as a couple were few. They had been poisoned on their own wedding day, lying in their bed as they drifted to sleep, smiling to one another as death slowly took them without either knowing.

And now that she was going to finally see him again she could feel her heart beginning to race inside her chest, feeling almost like she was a young girl once more, going off to meet her betrothed. And now, married and dead, she was once more going to meet her betrothed, now husband. Larry waited for all to pile out of the plane, offering his hand to Neferu-Re as she moved to slide from the craft.

"Just wait outside for a moment, alright, I'm going to get Ahk for you," Larry said gently, stopping her at the top of the stairs. Neferu-Re nodded, glancing over to where Amelia was waiting for Larry to come back with Dexter so that they could leave for the remainder of the group. Amelia smiled and nodded her encouragement to the nervous royal, getting a smile of thanks in return. Neferu-Re nearly felt sick with nervousness and excitement, her hands smoothing the material of her skirts. She looked down at her appearance, hoping that her skirts hadn't been dirtied from the fight with Kahmunrah.

Larry walked into the room to see that Ahkmenrah was already coming down the stairs, offering his welcome to Sacagawea and Teddy as soon as he saw them.

"Larry, thank you for bringing them back to us," He greeted as Larry smiled back to him.

"Hey, Ahk, I got a bit of a surprise for you," Larry started, the young Egyptian dawning a confused look on his face. "There's someone that I met at the Smithsonian Museum that wants to see you," Larry explained shortly, holding up is hand to tell the Pharaoh to wait a moment before he slipped back out through the door. He had a good feeling in his stomach, anticipating the reunification of his friend and said friend's wife.

Motioning for Neferu-Re to follow him, he could see that she was nervous and shaky. Offering a smile, he stepped back through the revolving door, moving out of the way as soon as he was through so he wasn't blocking Ahk's view of the woman that was stepping around the glass door. He could see the Ahk still looked confused of what was happening, but the look disappeared to complete disbelief when he saw who stepped through the doors next.

When Neferu-Re looked back up to Amelia she was smiling and giving her a thumbs up, motioning over to the doorway. Moments later, Larry stepped out of the revolving doors. He grinned when he saw her, motioning her forward. She followed after him, lifting her skirts so they wouldn't get caught in the door. Sacagawea was standing to the side of the large room with a man in a beige uniform. Standing further in the room, near a set of stairs, was Ahkmenrah.

She could feel her heart begin to pound inside her chest as she looked over the man that had stolen her heart. He looked just as he had the day they married, only his attire having changed. He still looked so young, his features that of a young adult, ever handsome as he looked at her in disbelief. He continued to wear no tunic, only the long cloak like robe and the collar necklace covering his chest. She could remember the feel of his tan skin exactly, her fingers tingling as she longed to touch him again. She wondered if his messy hair still looked the same beneath his crown.

"Khu," Ahkmenrah whispered, frozen in place. Neferu-Re smiled as she began her trek across the floor toward him. Ahkmenrah seemed to break the spell that was keeping him from moving and began to run across the room toward her, not sparing a glance at the audience that they had. Neferu-Re opened her arms to her husband moments before he reached her. She was enveloped in his embrace as he lifted her off her feet, spinning her around. She laughed happily as she wound her arms around his neck as he spun her, the broad smile never leaving her lips.

"Ahkmenrah," She whispered gently to him as he placed her back on her feet. Neferu-Re felt her tears returning but pressed them back down, not wanting to worry Ahkmenrah. Pulling back from him just slightly, she took his face in her hands as she continued to smile. "_I've missed you so much, Ahkmenrah._" Running her thumbs along his cheeks, she was so relieved to see the smile that touched his lips.

"_My protected,_" Ahkmenrah started, taking her face in his hands as well, "_I never thought I would see you again._" Pulling her close without further hesitation, Ahkmenrah greeted her with a kiss. Wrapping her arms more firmly around the neck of her husband, Neferu-Re let Ahkmenrah lift her off her feet once more, never breaking their kiss. Both were basking in the familiarity that the other brought, the comfort and peace.

When the kiss finally ended, Neferu-Re leaned her forehead against Ahkmenrah's, her eyes remaining closed. She didn't want to believe that she was going to have to leave him again, she wished that she could stay in his arms like this forever. She felt herself suddenly lower, but Ahkmenrah never released her. They were soon both sitting on the floor wrapped in the other's embrace.

"Ana bahebek," Neferu-Re whispered against his neck, feeling as the tears returned to her eyes once more, but she didn't bother with trying to hold them back this time, "_I love you, I love you, I love you,_" She began to sob into his clothes, making Ahkmenrah try to calm her down, rocking her gently on the spot as he stroked her back and shoulders.

"_As I love you, Neferu-Re,_" Ahkmenrah replied softly.

They had soon moved to the Egyptology Department, Neferu-Re's hand gliding along the engrained hieroglyphics on the walls. She smiled to the Jackals as they bowed to her, seeing that she had been accepted by their master. Her smile became sad as she stepped up to his sarcophagus, her fingers touching the moulded surface of gold and paint.

"_I do not wish to return there,_" She mumbled quietly, looking up into his chocolate eyes.

"_I wish that I could keep you here with me,_" Ahkmenrah answered as he took her hands in his carefully turning her to face him. "_But we must be careful not to tamper with the real world. They will notice your absence._"

"_I understand, but that does not mean that I must enjoy it,_" She concluded, playing with the rings on his fingers. Ahkmenrah smiled at her wording and lifted her hands up to his face, kissing her fingers gently. She smiled back, gently removing her hands from his and pulling on his wrists to draw him up to her and kiss his lips lightly. They pulled apart with twin smiles on their faces, both basking in the moment between them, so long prevented.

"Neferu-Re?"

Looking away from each other, they looked up to where Larry was standing in the doorway, a reluctant look on his face.

"Amelia's back…it's time for you to go," he said carefully, looking anywhere but where the couple were standing. Neferu-Re felt her heart sink at his words, but nodded her head in acceptance, squeezing Ahkmenrah's hands. Keeping one of her hands in his as they walked, Larry kept ahead of them as they headed toward the lobby of the hotel. Ahkmenrah stopped in front of the doors with her, turning her to face him. She looked broken as she withheld her tears, reaching up one last time to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him.

"_Please, remember that I will always love you_," She begged quietly, the cold feel of his golden crown cooling her heated cheeks.

"Ana bahebek,"He whispered into her hair, his Egyptian accent returning as he spoke to her. She smiled sadly into his shoulder before she pulled away, letting him and Larry follow her out to where Amelia was still waiting in the plane. Ahkmenrah assisted her onto the plane as she lifted her skirts, leaning down to gently kiss his lips one last time before she slipped backward into the plane, Larry closing the door as soon as she was inside and Ahk had stepped away.

"Are you going to be alright?" Amelia asked from the front of the plane, rolling down the road to get ready to take off. Neferu-Re wiped at the tears streaming down her face, shaking her head as she tried to calm down.

"No. I do not believe I will be."

**I cried writing this, I legit cried. I hope that it wasn't too sad for anyone else, I'm sorry if it was. But, fear not, this is not the end!**

**Translations:**

**Ana bahebek – **I love you

**Khu – **My protected

**Aken – **In Egyptian Mythology, Aken was the patron and custodian of the boat named "Meseket" that carried the souls of the dead to the underworld.


	5. Even In Death

**Even In Death**

Larry couldn't help but to smile at the sight of the moving truck that backed into the loading docks of the Museum of Natural History, Nick at his side as they both oversaw the unloading. A large rectangular box was the next to come off the large truck, big enough to hold a coffin. He moved out of the way to allow the movers to transport the large box inside. Nick grabbed onto his hand and smiled, knowing how important it was that everything go as it had been planned. Larry had been able to hold back the information on what was truly meant to happen at the museum from the residents, just telling them that the Egyptology hall was getting an extension.

"How do you think Ahk's going to react?" Nick asked his father as they walked after the several moving men that were carrying the crate.

"He's been struggling since she went back to the Smithsonian, I only hope that this'll help him get moving again," Larry answered, watching as they popped open then the top of the crate. The familiar sarcophagus that had been in the other museum became visible, the face of a female Egyptian woman carved onto the surface with the paint still preserved on its surface.

"What's she like?" Nicked asked as the men began to lift the coffin from its holding.

"She's beautiful and smart. She loves Ahk like no one else could and she was probably one of the best Queen's in history, no matter how brief it was," He explained keeping his voice down so that the movers didn't hear what he was saying. "You'll love her, and I'm sure she'll really take to you."

"Yea?"

"Of course, now come on, let's get out of these guys way so they can finish up and go make sure that the builders have the stone slates in place back in the Egyptology Department." Nick nodded and ran to follow his father as he turned to leave the loading dock and headed toward his friends resting place. It was still a couple of hours before the sun was going to go down and he and his son could already feel their hearts racing in anticipation. It had been killing Larry to keep this secret from the residents of the museum and had finally cracked and told Nick before he completely lost his mind.

He had wanted to tell Teddy, but he was determined to leave it as a surprise to everyone else in the museum, not only Ahk. Nick had been asking him about Neferu-Re and the other exhibits that he had met while he was getting the tablet back from Dexter. He told him all about the Queen, the Flying Ace, the little Einstein's and of course Honest Abe.

The new slates of stone that had been brought over from Neferu-Re's exhibit were being placed up on the extension of the Egyptology Department, some of Ahk's things being moved around and rearranged into a new placement so that there was room. The Pharaoh's sarcophagus was being moved to face the door vertically instead of horizontal and then Neferu-Re's was going to be moved beside it with a space to walk through between the two so people could look at both cases.

"Will she be happy here?" Nick asked as they made their way down the hallway of hieroglyphics, their voices still kept low so no one would overhear them.

"Yea, you should have seen them when they met up again. They really didn't want to part with one another," Larry explained as they rounded the corner to the exhibit. The stones were all in place and Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus had been moved already. Neferu-Re's Jackal's had also been brought over and were placed on either of the room and beside of Ahk's, closest to the door. Everything had already been put in place in the exhibit, leaving plenty of room for Neferu-Re's sarcophagus beside Ahkmenrah's.

"Mom's alright with me staying with you, so I get to meet her tonight?" Nick asked as they walked up to stand beside Ahk's coffin, Larry pushing the locks in place so that he didn't need to worry about the workers getting suspicious. He was sure that the ones that had been in earlier that day were curious of as the why the case wasn't locked.

"Alright, but we'll give them some privacy when they first wake up," Larry smiled, looking up to the door when the men came around the corner carrying the sarcophagus of the deceased Queen.

"Excuse us," one of the men said, causing Nick and his father to move out of the way quickly.

"Shouldn't we be getting back to your apartment so that you can get ready for work and be here on time?" Nick suddenly asked, causing the elder to jump and check his watch quickly. He cursed silently and placed a hand on Nicky's back to lead him out of the exhibit, his son rolling his eyes at his father's forgetfulness. It was a shock that one of the Lions hadn't eaten him yet. Nick allowed himself to be rushed off from the Museum to his father's apartment a couple of blocks away.

Nick sat at his father's computer as Larry went to shower and dress for work, leaving his son to occupy his time some way. Pulling Google up in the screen, Nick quickly typed in _Neferu-Re_ before hitting the enter button, activating the search. He leant back in surprise at tons of sites popped up, most of them just blogs or things written about her and her short life as the Queen of Egypt. Clicking on one of the historical websites, he waited patiently for the page to load. His father had been able to tell him much about the woman, and he was curious about the newest member of the Natural History Family.

The site finished loading then, drawing the boy's attention forward once more. His eyes widened when the first thing that popped up was a painting done on the wall of her tomb of her in her robes. She looked beautiful, even in the strange style of art that the Egyptians painted in. Her long hair was done in various small braids in the painting, just as his father had described to him when he saw her at the Smithsonian.

"'_Neferu-Re, wife to the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah, lived to be twenty one years old before her untimely death,'_" Nick read aloud, scrolling down the page to see if there were any more pictures. There was one of her dead body wrapped in bandages, lying in her sarcophagus, another of the coffin itself, and a third of an illustrated drawing of what scientists believed her to look like before she died. The drawing was far more detailed than the one that the Egyptians did on the wall of her tomb, but the artists was only going off of educated guess on her appearance by the paintings and facial reconstruction. '_It was found in Egyptian records that Neferu-Re ruled Egypt for less than a day at her husband's side. In the past, stories circulated about how the couple had killed themselves on the night of their wedding in order to be together for eternity in the afterlife. However, scientists have found evidence after examining the deceased that the two royals were in fact poisoned several hours before their death.'_

It was then at that moment that he realized just how Pharaoh Ahkmenrah had been killed. He had been poisoned some time on his wedding day, as well as his wife, and they died together in their sleep that very night. Nicky felt such sadness and sympathy for the Pharaoh in that moment, he was surprised that he was still able to smile when he first woke up away from his wife. For most of his life he was locked inside his coffin, and then when he was freed his wife was not there.

"Hey, Nicky, what're you looking at?" Larry asked as he emerged from his bedroom, tightening the tie around his neck.

"I was reading up on Neferu-Re," He answered quietly. Larry caught on to the sound of his son's voice and stepped up to see what he had been reading. He skimmed over the article of Nick's shoulder, frowning as he realized what had upset his son.

"You really are doing a good thing, dad," he said softly, looking over at his dad. Larry nodded his head, still looking over the article.

"Come on, let's get going. You've got everything you need?" The night guard asked as he pulled back, reaching for the belt that went with his uniform that hung over the back of the couch. Nick jumped to his feet and rushed over to get his back pack to take with him. He had new batteries for Jed and Oct's toy car and a history book for Teddy.

"Let's get going!"

_Neferu-Re could feel the fatigue of the day beginning to wear on her, causing her to cover her mouth to attempt at hiding her yawn. Ahkmenrah chuckled softly as he came up to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and letting her rest her head on his chest._

"_We should be getting so sleep, my dear," he whispered, his fingers sliding down through the hundreds of small braids that collected her hair. She shook her head, a tired smile on her lips as she wrapped her own arms around his waist._

"_Not quite yet, I wish to remain awake for a short while longer," she declined easily, looking out to the setting sun. The high palace walls were beginning to block the sun off from many open areas, but the two of them were high enough that they could see over the walls and look out to the sun still. The warmth of it touched her skin welcomingly, alighting her with a golden glow and helping her to relax further against Ahkmenrah. "Come, let us sit," She requested, pulling on his hand to guide him over to the cushioned recliner a couple of feet away._

_Ahkmenrah fell into place on the couch first before he allowed her so settle alongside him, leaning against one of his raised legs. He took her hand in his own and began to play with the golden and jewelled rings that decorated the digits. Many of them were courting gifts that he had given her, one was a wedding gift from other royals, and the smallest one was a ring that she had since she was a child. He had watched through the years as the ring switched fingers until it was too small to fit anywhere but in the middle of her smallest finger, between the knuckles._

"_My wife," Ahkemnrah whispered suddenly, leaning forward to press a kiss to her temple gently. She smiled at the sound of the words as they rolled off his tongue, her fingers threading through his to hold onto his hand. "My beautiful, strong, intelligent, talented-"_

"_Flattery will get you everywhere, Ahkmenrah," she whispered suddenly, interrupted him. He smiled at her words and leaned forward again to kiss her cheek._

Larry led Nick around the back of the Museum, the workers still finishing up inside. Nick went directly to the employees lounge to wait until night time. Larry oversaw that all of the workers left the building before sunset, peeking inside the Egypt Exhibit to make sure that everything had been finished in the short time that they were away. Neferu-Re's sarcophagus sat beside Ahkmenrah's, a couple of feet between them to allow people to walk along unhindered.

The night hours of the Museum had been closed for some time due to the newest changes in the building, allowing people to walk between and view both of the magnificently decorated coffins. Larry leaned against the entrance to the large tomb looking room, taking a moment to himself as he looking over all of the differences in the room.

"This one's for you, Ahk," he mumbled quietly as he quickly opened the locks on his sarcophagus before he turned away to go and lock the back doors and get his son. He closed up the rooms to the animal exhibits and pulled the glass for the other dangerous exhibits that had proved difficult in the past. Nick was already waiting for him at the front desk when he came by, finishing up some of his homework before the building became a living nightmare to control. Most of the exhibits were good after he had first gotten them to work together to catch Cecile, but there was the odd time that something happened to disrupt the peace. He only hoped that the appearance of Neferu-Re wasn't one of those times.

"Is everything alright in the Egyptian Exhibit?" Nick asked without looking up from his homework.

"They set everything up perfectly, now we just wait until they wake up, which…" Larry looked down at his watch quickly, counting the minutes until sunset, "Should be in seven minutes." Neither of them could deny that they were anxious to see the outcome of Larry's planning. Nick really wanting to meet the woman that his father had told him about and that apparently made King Ahkmenrah turn into a desperate man.

**It has been **_**forever**_**, I know. I'm sorry! I've already begun writing the next chapter so the wait won't be anywhere near as long, I promise! Please review, they give me motivation to write faster!**


	6. Until the End of Time

**Until the End of Time**

Ahkmenrah experienced the familiar cramped feeling as soon as he awoke in his sarcophagus, the stale air held inside causing him to supress a cough. He lifted his hands up to place on the lid of his resting place, pushing it open enough so that he could sit up. The dull light inside his room came in through the growing space that he was making, fresh air pouring down and allowing him to take in one deep, clean breath. Looking up at the ceiling above him, he noticed that he was looking at something different than he had the past couple of years since Larry had freed him.

Pushing the lid over the last bit that he needed, he lifted himself up carefully, awkwardly sitting on his cloak. Instead of looking to the wall as he was used to, he was looking out to the entrance to the exhibit, with two new jackals accompanying his own. He knew that there was to be changes in the exhibit, but he hadn't been told about this. Looking around to discover what other changes had been made, his entire body seemed to seize at the sight of a second sarcophagus in his tomb.

The decorative face at the head of the coffin caused him to carefully begin to exit his, sliding over the side and slipping beneath the ropes that surrounded it. He walked forward hesitantly, unsure of whether he was actually awake or not. He dreamt of Neferu-Re many times since she had left after Larry had met up with her at the Smithsonian Museum. Was this another one?

Unclipping the ropes that surrounded her sarcophagus and stepping up to the side, a metal slate was covering half of her sarcophagus just like the one that Larry had pushed off of his own a couple of years back. Pulling out the pins that locked the lid of her sarcophagus in place, he reached over it to pull out the second, his hands shaking as he did so. Once both of the bolts had been slid out of place, he moved over to place his hands on the sides, willing his arms to push it open but finding himself unable to.

Taking one deep breath, he pushed the lid to the side, opening a gap and allowing light to begin to flood into the small space. He could see one bandaged arm through the gap, the skin that was exposed as smooth and tanned as it had been on their wedding day. Heaving one more push, the lid slipped to the side enough to expose her wrapped face, a braided lock of hair having fallen free and over her throat.

"Khu?" he asked softly, his hands still placed on the lid as he tried to stop them from shaking. She didn't respond to him, but he knew that she would be waking soon. Her body had already returned to life, now she just needed to awaken completely. "Neferu-Re," he said quietly, watching her face. He looked over her covered body, seeing through small gaps in the wrappings that she was wearing white materials beneath, as well as several pieces of jewellery. She must have wrapped herself up before she slipped back into her coffin so that she didn't cause alarm if someone were to check inside of her sarcophagus and find a once wrapped mummy fully exposed.

He nearly jumped when she suddenly took in a deep breath, the bandages over her mouth restricting her a bit. Her chest rose up at the intake, shuddering slightly. Her hands twitched as she moved to raise them, probably wanting to remove the coverings on her face. Ahkmenrah reached down and gently moved the wrappings aside, feeling her tense beneath his hands for a moment before her eyes were uncovered and she could see who had touched her.

"…Ahkmenrah," she whispered quietly, the bandages over her mouth muffling her voice. Ahk began to unravel the old linen from around her head, exposing her nose, lips, cheeks, hair. Her elaborate jewellery reflected the light in the room, her eyes glistening as she fought against crying. "Oh, Ahk," she gasped out, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace without hesitation, sitting himself on the edge of her sarcophagus.

He could not hold her close enough, he could not wrap his arms around her anywhere near as tightly as he dreamed he could. She was real. A solid body against his own, not a vanishing nightmare that tortured him constantly, like when someone dangles food before a hungry dog but refuses to feed them. They remained like that for several minutes before Neferu-Re began to fiddle around and pull the bandages off her arm. Ahkmenrah lifted her from her sarcophagus carefully before lowering her down onto her feet, still wrapped in the ancient bandages.

"Let's get you out of these," he whispered calmly, pulling at the bandages around her head to loosen them further. She closed her eyes as he unwound the wrappings, exposing her black hair, jewellery and tanned skin. She held still as he unwrapped the bandages from her head, neck and shoulders, getting her hands tapped away whenever she tried to help.

He had just reached the wrapping around her waist when she tilted his head up and pressed a kiss to his lips. Ahkmenrah responded immediately, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him, his other hand rising up to tangle in the small braids of her hair and pull her closer.

She leaned away only to shake her arms free of the wrappings, the ones around her waist loosened enough that they began to slowly undue themselves as gravity pulled at them. Her hands began to push through his hair, his crown still sitting inside his coffin, as Ahkmenrah slowly pushed her back against her sarcophagus, keeping his arms wrapped firmly around her.

When they pulled back, she was smiling, tears staining her cheeks as she cradled Ahkmenrah's face in her hands, looking into his eyes as though to be sure it was really him. To see her with such joy in her eyes truly warmed his once dead heart, drawing forth a smile that he had thought would never grace his features after she had been forced to part with him for the second time.

Larry stood with Nick and some of the other exhibits in the front foyer of the Museum, looking around at the different faces. They all knew that something was different, and many were curious of as to why the Pharaoh hadn't made an appearance yet. He usually came to stand at the top balcony long before now, but he was yet to show his face at all.

"Have you gone and planned something, Laurence?" Teddy asked as he came over with Sacagawea on his arm. "You haven't stopped smiling since sundown," he pointed out, looking between father and son. Nicky looked ready to burst with information, but he held his tongue.

"You'll find out soon," Larry answered eventually.

"Teddy," Sacagawea said suddenly, patting Teddy's arm as she looked off. The men looked over to where she was staring, immediately realizing just what his plan was. Ahkmenrah was finally walking down the stairs that led to the second floor, a beautiful woman on his arm; the same woman that had come back with Larry from the Smithsonian.

"Is that her?" Nick asked as he looked up at his dad. Larry nodded, smiling broadly as he watched Neferu-Re look over in their direction. Her face lit up with a beaming smile. She whispered something to Ahkmenrah before she released his arm and hurried down the last couple of steps, beginning to run toward where Larry was standing. She had to lift her skirts so that she didn't end up stepping on them, still smiling.

Nick stepped aside as the woman threw her arms around his father's neck, the man immediately returning the hug. "I must thank you, Larry, thank you with all of my heart," she whispered in happy desperation, her voice nearly cracking. Pulling back, she took his cheeks in her hands and lifted up to kiss his forehead gently before pulling back.

Next, she embraced Sacagawea, the only other familiar face so far. "It is good to see you so happy," she said with a soft smile as she embraced the Queen in turn, glancing over her shoulder to where Akhmenrah was approaching them, just as content as Neferu-Re appeared to be. The past Pharaoh was wearing an archaic like smile, just the slightest upturn of his lips. He went straight to Larry.

"You have my absolute gratitude, Larry. You have done more for me than I ever could have asked," Ahkmenrah said as he grasped the other man's shoulder with a strong hand. Larry smiled back and returned the gesture to Ahkmenrah's own shoulder, the metal of his collar necklace cold beneath his palm.

"You deserve whatever happiness you can get, Ahk," Larry assured, before he motioned over to Neferu-Re with a smile. Ahkmenrah gave his shoulder one last squeeze before he turned back to where his wife was speaking politely with Teddy, who had move over to introduce himself properly. They had seen one another when she was last there, but she hadn't actually had the chance to speak with him until that point.

Larry walked over with Ahk, motioning for his son to follow after them. Nick suddenly felt nervous as they approached the tall Queen, knowing the way that she had died made him feel like he had invaded her privacy in some way. But when she looked over to his father and her husband with a smile, so happy and yet overwhelmed, Nick could see why everyone seemed to like her so easily.

"Neferu-Re, I would like you to meet my son, Nick," Larry introduced, motioning down to the smaller Daley. The woman positively beamed down at the small boy before she swept down and embraced him just as she had his father. Nick was startled at first before he slowly returned the hug, unsure of what to do. Ahkmenrah smiled sadly, watching his love. She had wanted children, many of them.

When the Queen pulled away, she swept Nick's hair from his face to get a better look at him. "Your father told me about you," she began, her smile causing Nick to smile in return. "I am glad to meet you." Her Egyptian accent was thick, but Nick could understand her words; even if he hadn't been able to, all of her emotions shown in her eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Nick said in a shy, quiet voice. She smiled one last time before straightening up and turning to her husband. He could see the sadness in her eyes and knew exactly what she was thinking about, but she was making sure that it didn't affect her elated mood at being alive and with the one she loves one more.

"How about a tour?" Teddy was suggesting, his wise eyes squinting with a smile when he turned his attention to the thoughtful Pharaoh. "I'm sure Pharaoh Ahkmenrah would be glad to show you around." Before Neferu-Re even had a chance to speak, Ahkmenrah had already slipped up beside her and placed a protective arm around her waist. Her glossy eyes met his light brown ones as she leaned into his warmth.

"Come along, then," Ahk began, turning her toward the stairs that led up to the second floor, the same steps that they had descended from.

Larry looked down to where Nick was standing, watching the couple as they leisurely wandered away with their heads bowed close together. The other exhibits that saw them and parted for them to pass, watching in awe as the once feared Pharaoh walked among them with a smile on his face and a woman in his embrace. The white of her dress floated behind her as they walked, the Pharaoh's heavy embroidered robes weighing more as he strode alongside her.

Neferu-Re looked over each room and exhibit that they entered or passed, nodding in greeting to those that passed them by along the tour. Ahkmenrah whispered in her ear throughout the entire trip, his breath ghosting her skin and making it tingle pleasantly. She had slipped her fingers between his as soon as they entered one of the halls, their rings clanging together but not letting it deter her. He had rough hands from the days of labour that he had gone through, when he was not sitting with his father through the meetings with his advisors in preparation for the throne.

They ended the tour at the Egyptian Exhibit, sitting on the steps that led up to their coffins, the Jackals standing guard on either side of them. The tablet was back in its proper place in the wall at the far end of the tomb like room, centered between their two coffins.

Neferu-Re's eyes were glossy with tears as she gently traced her fingers along the sharp contours Ahkmenrah's face. It was a face that she would never forget for all of her days.

"Why do you cry?" Ahk asked as he reached up to wipe his thumb beneath one of her eyes, catching the first tear as it fell onto his skin. It was warm, he realized, and matched with the smile she gave him.

"They are tears of absolute joy," she assured him, her voice slightly hoarse from trying not to get too emotional. But it was difficult to fight against her overwhelming happiness; it was so powerful that it made her cry, for her body could find no other way to express those emotions. "I keep remembering when I last saw you, and I was weighed down so heavily with the knowledge that I could not stay." She absolutely beamed as she leant forward to claim a chaste kiss, her tears moistening his skin as well. "However, now I feel so free. So happy."

Ahkmenrah mirrored her look and pulled her in closer, letting his wife lean against his body. Neferu-re let her head rest on his with her ear over his heart, listening to the steady beat. Neither of them remembered actually dying, but there was that terrifying sensation of losing control, unable to move or speak as they stared forward at the other, moments from death. Falling asleep, never to awaken again. But they had tested their fates and there they were again.

She wished that when she had awoken from eternal rest, he had been the first thing for her eyes to see.

Ahkmenrah cradled her against his body, never wanting to let her go. He understood the similarities to the last time they had seen one another, walking around in a mirage of bliss; only to have it ripped away.

The difference this time was that their happiness didn't have to end.

"I love you, _Khu,_ with all of my heart," he whispered to her, unable to see the smile that tugged at her lips as she rested against his chest. Sitting up straight so she could look into his eyes, Neferu-Re took Akh's hands in hers, caressing the roughened skin before she lifted his hands to kiss the back of each.

"I will always love you, Akhmenrah, until the end of time," she promised, letting his hands pull from her grasp to frame her face instead. There was such joy shining in his eyes that it made her heart race and her stomach flutter with contentment.

Drawing her in, Akhmenrah let their foreheads meet as he continued to look into her watery eyes, the tears no longer worrying him as he felt the familiar burn in his own. "And until the end of time, together we will remain."

**I did not even realize how long it had been since I updated this story and I am so sorry for it. I'd written most of it but I just didn't know how to end it. I'm not sure whether I'll continue with it or not, I might come up with a sequel or something but I'm not too sure. I hope everyone enjoyed the reunion!**


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